Cupertino, CA Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Municipal Code § 9.22.020, Table 9.22.020
- Prohibited item
- Vegetation causing rodent habitat or infestation
- Applies where
- Yards visible from street or sidewalk
- Violation classification
- Infraction under Chapter 1.12
- Purpose clause
- Section 9.22.010, anti-blight standards
Summary
Cupertino property owners may not let dead, decayed, or diseased trees, weeds, or other vegetation build up in a yard visible from a street or sidewalk if it is likely to cause a fire or health hazard, an infestation, or a habitat for rodents. Table 9.22.020 marks the condition Not Allowed, backed by Chapter 9.22's infraction penalty.
Unlawful Acts In any front, side or rear yard areas visible from a public street or sidewalk ... ... C. Dead, decayed, or diseased trees, weeds, or other vegetation likely to cause a fire or health hazard, an infestation, or a habitat for rodents; Not Allowed
Full Breakdown
020 for any front, side, or rear yard area visible from a public street or sidewalk. Item C of that table prohibits dead, decayed, or diseased trees, weeds, or other vegetation likely to cause a fire or health hazard, an infestation, or a habitat for rodents, marking the condition Not Allowed outright, with no grace period the way loose materials or storage containers get elsewhere in the same table. The rule applies to any owner, agent, or lessee, or any other person occupying or controlling real property in the City, including City-owned property, unless a valid permit authorizes the specific condition.
The same table separately bars an accumulation of litter, junk, machine parts, scrap material, or waste paper and boxes, conditions that likewise attract rodents alongside the vegetation clause, and it requires adequate landscaping or groundcover to prevent blowing dust and erosion. 030. 12 of the Municipal Code.
Violations & Fines
Maintaining vegetation that creates a rodent habitat, fire hazard, or infestation risk in a visible yard is an infraction under Section 9.22.030, punishable under Chapter 1.12 of the Municipal Code. Section 9.22.040 preserves the City's separate authority to pursue nuisance abatement under Chapter 1.09 or Section 1.12.030 alongside, or instead of, the Chapter 9.22 infraction citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can code enforcement cite me for dead weeds in my backyard?
Is there a grace period before rodent-attracting vegetation becomes a violation?
Does this rule apply to vacant lots as well as occupied homes?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cupertino
California rules heatmap·Compare Cupertino to another location·View the California public health rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Rodent Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle rodent control.